As a production method of hexachloroacetone, for example, the methods described below are known.
(1) Method in which a reaction between acetone and chlorine molecule is performed while using pyridine as a catalyst (Patent Document 1).
(2) Method in which a reaction between acetone and chlorine molecule is performed while using triphenylphosphine as a catalyst (Patent Document 2).
(3) Method in which trichloroacetone and chlorine molecule are supplied to a fixed bed of activated carbon to perform a reaction therebetween by using the activated carbon as a catalyst (Patent Document 3).
However, in the methods of (1) and (2), since the catalyst and its chlorinated product are dissolved in the hexachloroacetone produced by the reaction, it is difficult to recover and further reuse the catalyst and its chlorinated product. Moreover, even when the catalyst and its chlorinated product are removed from the hexachloroacetone by purification (distillation or the like) of a crude product, since small amounts of the catalyst and its chlorinated product remain in the hexachloroacetone, it is difficult to obtain hexachloroacetone of high purity.
According to the method of (3), since chloroacetones having a chlorine atom number of from 1 to 5 are easily condensed, a compound having a high boiling point is apt to be produced. Therefore, in the method of (3), the yield of hexachloroacetone is as low as approximately 80%.